Check your plug! - Printable Version

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+--- Thread: Check your plug! (/showthread.php?tid=4998)

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Check your plug! - Richard - 06-08-2019

I have posted about this before, because I have had issues with the 50 amp plug connections either loosening or corroding. 

It’s a quick little project. Unplug the coach from the pedestal and take the screws off the plug cover. Inspect and tighten the fittings that capture the wires. Look for signs of corrosion or arcing. Just to be very clear, I am talking about the plug on the coach cord, and NOT the pedestal. I do not advocate poking around in the pedestal.

It’s summer, and bad wire connections at your plug drop the voltage and increase the amperage on your air conditioner compressors if you believe Ohm’s law. That is not good for the longevity of the AC unit.

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RE: Check your plug! - kyleb - 06-08-2019

First thing I did was replace the cord on my coach - the outer insulation was cracked' split.
I look for discoloration every time I unplug it. And I feel it to see if it is warm.

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RE: Check your plug! - folivier - 06-08-2019

Recently I had the neutral blade break off on my plug. My progressive thingie kept shutting off power. Easy fix to replace the plug.

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RE: Check your plug! - bikestuff - 06-08-2019

Richard,

Thanks for the post. I have one of those progressive thingy’s so it was easy to forget about the screw on plug end. I went to remove the plug from the progressive thingy and it was really hard to unplug it. Corrosion had set up on the blades and made it difficult to unplug. I got it apart and used Emory cloth on the blades and also used some contact cleaner. I also took the plug apart and checked the wiring. The wiring was fine.

So easy to do, but so hard to remember to do. Thanks again for heading off a headache down the road.

Bill

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RE: Check your plug! - Joe Galowitch - 06-08-2019

When I had the polarity light on that time I found it was in the plug. Thanks Richard good info

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RE: Check your plug! - Jackflash - 06-09-2019

I had  an issue with my plug last summer.  I didn't pay close enough attention when reeling in the cord before leaving the house for our summer trip and it hit the end harder than it should have.  About a week into the trip my transfer switch quit working, eventually I figured out that one of the leads had pulled loose so I was only getting one leg of the supply current.  The transfer switch won't trip unless it has both legs hot.

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RE: Check your plug! - pairodice - 06-09-2019

Thanks for the reminder Richard! I will take care of it this week!
Do we really have a choice to believe Ohm’s Law? Lol

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RE: Check your plug! - dkarb - 06-10-2019

I can't believe you just posted this Richard.  I just read the thread this morning.  During our trip last month we lost power and I found that the neutral wire was loose and corroded on the 50 amp plug.  I cleaned the terminal/wire well and reconnected it.  We got home the first of June and I ordered a new plug.  It arrived a couple days ago but I had not replaced it yet.  Last night we lost power to the coach.  I went to our pedestal and saw a melting 50 amp plug with smoke coming out!  (See photo) The surge protector was still reading voltage.  I now have a new plug installed but I am going to order a whole new power cord hopefully before this one burns up.  Oh, and a new surge protector.

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RE: Check your plug! - Keith Jordan - 06-10-2019

Dave, I think that will buff out!

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RE: Check your plug! - dkarb - 06-10-2019

Thanks Keith, I didn't think of that!  Anything to save $$.  (Have you considered replacing your basement airs with box fans?) 

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